Cancer Patients

More cancer patients are going online to find support. That's what numbers kept by the American Cancer Society show, said Denise Burggraff, health manager with the agency's office in Sioux Falls. Each year, the American Cancer Society's Web site (cancer.org) gets 20 million hits, Burggraff said. That compares with about a million calls a year to the toll-free 1-800-ACS2345 phone number. ?We find that people prefer the online community,? Burrgraff said. That's why the American Cancer Society has created the Cancer Survivors Network on its Web site.

REDFIELD - Linda Van Vleet and her art students are bottling hope. They're not selling it, though. The Redfield school art teacher had her students make Bottles of Hope for cancer patients. The bottles, made of glass and clay, contain hope and are being given to those going through treatment at the Conklin Regional Cancer Center in Aberdeen. Van Vleet's sister was treated there. She died this summer after a decade-long battle against breast cancer. "I just wanted to give back to them," Van Vleet said.

from outside in Cosmetologists Linda Johannsen and Cindy Hahler help make cancer patients feel better. For about 18 years, the women have been volunteering with Look Good ... Feel Better, a program designed to help women offset appearance-related changes from cancer treatment. On Tuesday, they received the Sunrise Award from the American Caner Society. Johannsen and Hahler, both hairdressers, met through their work, Johannsen said. They got involved with Look Good ... Feel Better after attending an informational meeting sponsored by the Cosmetologist Association in Pierre.

FARGO, N.D. - A recent study on regional variations in health care found 29 percent of elderly cancer patients nationally die in hospitals. The proportion of cancer patients dying within a hospital setting in the Red River Valley and nearby service areas generally was lower, although there were variations within service areas, according to an analysis by the Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy and Clinical Practice. The variations among Medicare cancer patients - the best data set available - may be influenced by numerous factors, including individual patient choices for type of treatment and the availability and setting of hospice services.

Friday's Day County Relay for Life has been canceled due to the large-spread destruction of last week's storm ?and clean-up efforts that all Day County residents have had to endure.? The event was to have begun at 7 p.m. at the Webster track. In a press release, the American Cancer Society extended its ?heartfelt support and prayers to the Day County residents following the devastating storm last week.? The Cancer Society and the Day County Relief for Life committee thanked everyone who has already contributed to the event.

Avera St. Luke's Cancer Program has been honored by the Commission on Cancer, which gave the program its ?Outstanding Achievement Award? for 2007. Established in 2004, the ?Outstanding Achievement Award? is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. Nationwide, 67 programs (approximately 15 percent) received this award as a result of all facility surveys performed in 2007. A facility receives this honor following an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor, during which the facility demonstrates a ?

Bongi Rudder, MD, has joined the staff of Sanford Aberdeen Clinic. She is a specialist in hematology and oncology. As a hematologist, Rudder specializes in studying, diagnosing and treating disorders of the blood, blood-forming organs and blood diseases. As an oncologist, she provides diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer patients throughout the course of their illness. She received her medical degree in 2000 from the University of the West Indies. She completed her internal medicine residency at the State University of New York, Downstate.

1836: The siege of the Alamo began in San Antonio, Texas. 1861: President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington to take office, following word of a possible assassination plot in Baltimore. 1927: President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill creating the Federal Radio Commission, forerunner of the Federal Communications Commission. 1954: The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh. 1963: The Chamber of Commerce's annual report listed eight daily flights to and from Aberdeen and three fail lines serving the city.

The Relays for Life in Brown and Marshall counties are unusually popular. For the last two years, the Brown County Relay for Life was the most successful in the 10 counties served by the American Cancer Society office in Watertown. This year's Brown County Relay for Life, which took place in Aberdeen in June, raised more than $100,000. ?I don't know what they've done up there, but they've gone nuts with supporting us,? said Peg Schultz of the American Cancer Society. Three years ago, the Marshall County event was the top Relay for Life in the 10-county area.

Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center will sponsor a 5K Color Walk/Run Oct. 26 to benefit one of Aberdeen's own. The family friendly event will start at Body Revolution, 112 N. Main St., at 10 a.m. The majority of the proceeds will benefit Dawn Sieler, who is a mother, educator and coach withithin the Aberdeen community and school system. Sieler was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in July and has been recieving treatments at Sanford. The 3.1-mile route will wind through Aberdeen and be lined with volunteers throwing buckets of colorful powder across the course as particiapants walk and run by.

LADIES NIGHT : Runnings will host Ladies Night from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at its 19 stores, including the Aberdeen store, to raise money for breast cancer charities. The event will include complimentary appetizers, games, product demonstration and giveaways. Guests who purchase a 5-gallon pink bucket for $2 will receive a 15 percent discount on whatever items fit inside. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the bucket will be donated to help fight breast cancer. ­The event has generated more than $11,000 for charity in the past two years.

Breast cancer brings with it many physical, emotional and practical challenges that can be difficult to overcome. This is true for patients as well as their family members and friends by their side. Sometimes having a group of supporters in your corner can make a world of difference, and many organizations throughout the world are here to fit that bill. CancerCare For nearly 70 years, CancerCare has been offering life-changing services to cancer patients, survivors, loved ones, caregivers and the bereaved.

When Niki Zikmund began her battle with cancer in 2011 at the young age of 40, she was stunned to learn about all of the services provided by the American Cancer Society (ACS) - most of them free of charge. But she was even more stunned to learn that not all cancer warriors are aware of these services. “I went on their website and got so much information, a free wig and even a $50 gift certificate to use at a hotel!” she said. Angie Scepaniak, Aberdeen, is the Community Relations Representative for the Midwest Division of the American Cancer Society.

When it comes to raising money for charity, the Pink Ladies Dart League hits the bull's-eye. The 28 women who comprise the league raised $1,200 for cancer patients and charities this summer. They plan to continue to raise money during the fall dart season. “We all like to throw darts, and, this way, it is for a good cause,” said Lisa Sudlow, one of the organizers of the league. “I always wanted to do something to give back to the community. This is one way. We may not be able to donate a lot of money to any individual, but simple things can bring a smile to a person's face.

Bongi Rudder, MD, has joined the staff of Sanford Aberdeen Clinic. She is a specialist in hematology and oncology. As a hematologist, Rudder specializes in studying, diagnosing and treating disorders of the blood, blood-forming organs and blood diseases. As an oncologist, she provides diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer patients throughout the course of their illness. She received her medical degree in 2000 from the University of the West Indies. She completed her internal medicine residency at the State University of New York, Downstate.

It is a shame that cancer is so common, so mysterious and deadly that the cancer "industry" is booming. We are very thankful and fortunate that Avera St. Luke's Hospital is at the front lines of the fight. An $11 million expansion of cancer services and resources is a significant commitment to catching, treating and beating this disease in northeast South Dakota. The new center will make it easier for patients and loved ones to get care close to home, rather than traveling to Fargo, N.D., or Sioux Falls.

Avera St. Luke's Hospital plans to build an $11 million cancer center at least five times as big as its current cancer facility. The center would allow Avera to offer expanded services, help attract cancer specialists to the area and solidify Aberdeen's reputation as a regional cancer treatment hub, officials said. The facility would be named after Don and Carmen Meyer. Avera is very excited to move into the next generation of cancer care services, said Todd Forkel, president and CEO. The greatest benefit will be to cancer patients, said Dr. Richard Conklin, longtime oncologist in Aberdeen who is helping develop the center.

REDFIELD - Linda Van Vleet and her art students are bottling hope. They're not selling it, though. The Redfield school art teacher had her students make Bottles of Hope for cancer patients. The bottles, made of glass and clay, contain hope and are being given to those going through treatment at the Conklin Regional Cancer Center in Aberdeen. Van Vleet's sister was treated there. She died this summer after a decade-long battle against breast cancer. "I just wanted to give back to them," Van Vleet said.